Family Vacation - Redwoods and Coast

We all arrived to Windsor on Sunday afternoon. So on Monday we started out going on a tour of the Korbel Winery, nothing like a bunch of Mormons on a wine tour!!! But it was interesting. After that, we headed to the redwood forest to eat lunch and some took in a nice hike. Lastly, we headed out to the coast which was of course beautiful.

At Korbel Winery, the old building was beautiful. Carson, Hailey and I in front of the redwood you could walk through. All Carson wanted to do was play in the dirt and thanks to my nephew Tyler, he got dirt all over his hands because thought it would be funny to see an baby eat dirt, thanks Ty!!Yep, here's my fat little boy. I love the ocean, too bad it was too cold to go swimming.

Family Vacation--Pyramid Lake

Every three years my family has a Downey Family Vacation. We started in 1999 and we just had our forth one. The first year we had 20 members of our family and this year we had 39. I know, I know, we are single-handily procreating the earth, blame it on my mom and dad!!! Anyway, this year we went to Windsor, CA and since we could drive through Reno, NV we decided to leave early to visit Chyler's grandparents and aunt in Pyramid Lake outside of Reno. They were absolutely thrilled to have us come up considering they have lived in Vegas near Chyler until two years ago not to mention they were so excited to meet Carson for the first time. We left here on Friday, the 4th of July and spent the weekend with them. On Saturday, Chyler's aunt took us out on the boat which was great because that is one of my all time favorites things to do and it was Carson's first time on a boat.

Carson being eaten alive by his life jacket Our little family. I can't wait till we can afford a boat of our own. I fed Carson right after we got on the boat and he totally fell asleep with the motion of the boat. I held him while we drove around for awhile but then when I tried to put him down in his car seat, he woke up because he was too big for the seat with his jacket on. I then had to put him asleep again and then put towels in his car seat to make it more level and he slept for a while like that. Pyramid Lake is on an Indian Reservation which was really strict with their rules. To the right of us is a big geyser hot spring that runs down the beach and into the water where we are sitting. You are not allowed on the beach unless you are with an Indian so we sat right at the edge in the water. It felt so good minus every few minutes when the water comes out scalding hot. Also, the tribe sells the mud to spas because it is really good for your skin so we were putting it all over us after this picture. Three generation, Grandpa Neil, Chyler, and Carson. This picture was taken out on their deck which overlooks the lake. It was so beautiful, we spent most the weekend sitting out there. The only downfall to the weekend was that the entire valley was filled with smoke from the California fires.

Johnny Jump-up

Before Carson was born, I really wanted a Johnny Jump-up for Carson because we had one when we were little and I guess we really enjoyed it. It was a good thing I didn't end up buying one because our friends from church called and let us borrow their jumper. It actually works out so much better because it is free-standing so I don't have to worry about finding a door frame to hang it on since I don't have any downstairs. Now I just have to buy one before my next baby because Carson loves it and let me just tell you that his thunder thighs pack a powerful kick from the jumper, the bruises all over my legs can attest to that.

This is the first night after they brought it over and I think he is just trying to figure out where the sounds were coming from.

He is looks so intent but doesn't quite know what to make of it.

Mama Time

So I began to realize that there were tons of pictures of Carson and Chyler but none of me and the baby. So I started making sure that I was in some pictures.

More Swimming

I finally got a new bathing suit, yeah! Britney and Carson.

My sister told me that you aren't supposed to put sunscreen on babies under 6 months. Because I was so scared he was going to get sunburned that I kept his robe and hat on the whole time. Britney kept calling him Backstreet Boy since he had his hood on and his chest exposed. Let it be known that my baby is way cutter than any Backstreet Boy.

Carson's First Swim

Carson wore his cute robe on the way to the pool. Isn't his little suit adorable. I don't think he knows what to make of it. He didn't cry at all but he didn't smile either.

Mustache "Man"cation

So Chyler's little friends from high school like to take these vacations and this special one had a theme. They all had to grow a mustache in order to go on the trip. I love Chyler very much but I think he looks sick with a mustache because he looks like a criminal. He had fun on the trip except for the fact that the first night they went camping and somehow his sleeping bag fell off the roof along the way. They had to drive down to Beaver and the only thing they could find was those Mexican blankets. Needless to say, he froze all night and didn't sleep at all. Poor guy. The next day they went up to Salt Lake to see the Salt Lake Galaxy soccer team. And lucky for Chyler, they stayed that night at their friend's parents' house so Chyler was able to get some sleep before they came home. You guys can judge for yourself as to how you think Chyler looks with a mustache.